Araqchi reveals the behind-the-scenes management of Iran's negotiations and ignites a debate over decision-making mechanisms

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi revealed in press statements unprecedented details regarding the mechanism of managing negotiations with the United States and behind the scenes of decision-making during the post-war phase.

During his participation in the "War Narrative" program, Araqchi stressed that decisions related to the negotiations were not made within the Supreme National Security Council in its entirety, but through a small committee that included only six members.

The Foreign Minister explained that the committee was formed after the 12-day war, and included President Masoud Bezshkian, Speaker of Parliament Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Mohammad Baqir Zulqadr, in addition to him and two other members.

Araqchi said that this committee was in charge of making immediate decisions on the memorandum of understanding with Washington due to the difficulty of direct communication with the senior leadership in those circumstances.

The Absence of the Guide and the Justification of the Option of Negotiation

The Iranian Foreign Minister confirmed that he has not yet met with the new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, noting that he does not believe that anyone will see him at the current stage except for a very limited number of personalities, pointing out that Iranian meetings have been held in well-known tunnels in Tehran  to preserve their lives.

News reports said Araghchi's comments were meant to highlight the Supreme Leader's absence from public appearances since he was wounded in the attack that killed his father, Ali Khamenei, in February.

  Speaking about the option of going to negotiations, Araqchi stressed that Tehran achieved its strategic goals in the first two weeks of the war, and that the transition to negotiation came to avoid extensive damage to infrastructure.

Analyses in the Jerusalem Post newspaper and citing international institutes said that Araqchi's remarks reflect the limits of the new leader's role and indicate an escalating competition for influence between the wings of power and the Revolutionary Guards.

A wave of criticism and the deletion of the interview

Iranian media confirmed the removal of the video interview a few hours after it was broadcast, following a wave of widespread criticism accusing the minister of crossing red lines related to national security.

The conservative website "Rajanews" attacked the statements that touched on holding meetings of officials inside the tunnels, considering that the disclosure of these data constitutes an unacceptable security breach.

Raja News published a commentary in which it was written, "In a pivotal moment of the dialogue, Araghchi says that he held two meetings in a tunnel and that he and the ministry officials were moving through the streets of Tehran during the days of the war. Mogoyi interrupted him, saying, "Everyone knows the tunnel, do you want me to mention its address?" One is at the end of Pirouzi Street and the other is in Darband, where commanders frequent a lot."

"Regardless of the fact that the disclosure of this information by Araqji is incorrect and contributes to the completion of the enemy's data bank, and the production team should have deleted this, the broadcaster's comment giving the exact address of the commanders' hesitations raises questions," the analyst asked, adding, "The interviewer says that the enemy knows these tunnels, and even attacked one of them, but is this a justification for announcing that the commanders' frequenting these two tunnels is too much? Why do the interlocutors know exactly where the leaders disappeared?"

Local media networks, including Tabnak, said some of the details in the interview had more intelligence value for the adversaries than for domestic public opinion.

Iranian sources said that the spread of the interview clips on social media platforms sparked a wide debate about the limits of transparency and responsibility in revealing the backstage of state administration during crises.